Feeding and cutting machine for sheet material



3,318,179 FEEDTNG AND CUTTING MACHINE FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed MICh ll, 1965 N- E: ELSAS May 9, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9, 1967 N. E. ELS/1s 3,318,179

FEEDING AND CUTTING MACHINE FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 11, 1965 s sheets-sheet 2 -rml May 9, 1967 N. E. ELsAs 3,318,179

EEEDING AND CUTTING MACHINE EoE sEEET MATERIAL Filed March ll, 1965 5 sheets-sheet 3 United States Patent O 3,318,179 FEEDING AND CUTTING MACHINE FR SHEET MATERIAL Norman E. Fleas, Atlanta, Ga., assigner to Nemo Industries, Ine., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Mar. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 438,861 3 Claims. (Cl. 153-201) This invention relates to feeding and cutting machines for sheet material, and it is particularly concerned with means for cutting fabric transversely thereof, and for the successive feeding of a predetermined length thereof between cutting operations.

In the cutting of predetermined lengths of wide fabric from the rolls thereof as produced by the looms of the textile mills, one particular problem arises with respect to the cutting of the fabric directly along the line of the lling, or weft, threads extending transversely of the fabric length. Obviously, when said transverse cuts deviate from the weft, or filling threads, an unraveling and loss of material at both sides of the cut is experienced; and, the diagonal cut would be very obvious on certain pattern goods. Heretofore the attainment of the accuracy of a transverse cut in following a weft thread across the fabric has been a tedious and time consuming operation requiring multiple operators acting in unison to align the fabric and make a straight cut across the fabric. Heretofore the cutting has usually been performed by hand, and has thus been subject to human error. l

It is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide novel and improved means for effecting an accurate transverse cut of sheet material as it is periodically fed from a relatively endless supply of such material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide novel and improved means for the transverse cutting of fabric in an accurate path across the material in alignment with the weft threads thereof.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved combination and interrelationship of parts for the feeding of predetermined lengths of sheet material, for the aligning of a weft thread with a cutting means, and for the cutting of the fabric while aligned and between periods of feeding motion of the material.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, detailed fragmentary side elevation of the left hand end of the apparatus as shown in FIG. l, taken as indicated by the lines 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation taken from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, detailed section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 with the fabric retained between periods of feed;

FIG. 5 is a detailed fragmentary plan view taken as indicated by lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detailed fragmentary view illustrating the hold-down mechanism and cutting blade in operative cutting position;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of FIG. l;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8 8 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the counter mechanism and one type of drive means therefor.

In the drawings, the numeral 1l) generally indicates an open framework constituting the base of the apparatus. The framework includes front and rear rails 11 and 12 respectively which are joined by end members 14 and are suitably supported at an appropriate elevation by supporting legs 15. With respect to the base structure, it will of course be understood that the invention is not concerned with the structural details, the method of assembly, or the material used in fabricating; however, in a practical embodiment of the present invention, which has achieved commercial success, the supporting framework or base is, as here shown, formed of channel iron appropriately welded as required to provide an open work, horizontal base with transverse end members as well as intermediate transverse bearing members.

F or feeding fabric F, there is mounted within the open framework, and longitudinally of the machine, a lower, conventionally hollow, feed roll 16. The axle of the feed roll 16 is mounted within suitable bearing blocks (not shown) in vertical end bearings stanchions: 1S and 19, the bearings extending upward from transverse bearing beams 20. The beams 2li are within the open framework and are inwardly spaced from end members 14 thereof. `At one end, shown to the left in FIG. l, the axle 21 of the feed roll 16 projects through the mounting stanchion 18 to mount a driving sprocket over which is trained drive chain 22, the chain 22 being adapted to be driven for successively feeding predetermined lengths of fabric. -Di- -rectly above, and parallel to, the friction feed roll 16, there is mounted a pressure roll 24 which is supported by bearings as at 25, the bearings 25 being carried by the mounting stanchions 18 and 19. The pressure roll 24 is urged by gravity downwardly against the feed roll 16 to insure an appropriate and accurate feed of fabric F as the feed roll 16 is rotated.

For measuring the length of the fabric `as it is fed by the feed ro-ll 16 beneath the pressure roll 24, a contact measuring wheel 26 is provided. The shaft of the Wheel 26 provides the input power to the counter 27 which has two dials, one for feet or the like, and one for parts thereof. It will be understood that the construction of such counters is well known to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is not concerned with the details thereof, it being recognized that various instrumentalities of this general nature are commercially available. It is to be understood however that, in the present invention, the measuring device preferably includes electrical switch contacts by which the operation of the electric motor (not shown) for operation of the drive chain 22 can be controlled to feed predetermined lengths of fabric. It will be further understood that, in the operation of the apparatus, during the intervals between activation of the feed roll 16, circuitry is provided to allow operation of the cutting mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The present apparatus is provided, at the left in FIG. l, with selvage edge hold down feet 30 which are slidably adjustable longitudinally of rolls 16 and 24. The adjustable mounting is accomplished through the mounting of the rectangular bodies 31 in mounting rails 32. Each of the parallel forward and rear mounting rails 32 is supported between vertical pairs of actuating bars 35, the bars 35' being arranged in spaced, parallel relation, transversely of the bed, at the front of the machine. The front rail 32 is preferably in alignment with the upper longitudinal flange 37 of the front rail 11, and with a fabric support plate 38. The rear rail 32 is mounted parallel to, and above, a longitudinally extending inner fabric support plate 40 which is mounted on the upright 39.

The actuating bars 35 of the rails 32 are adapted to be raised and lowered by the slidable mounting thereof within fixed guide tubes 42. The guide tubes 42. are carried by the fixed, forward ends 44 of parallel, transversely disposed support arms 45, the arms 45 extending forwardly from vertical support posts 46, and the support posts 46 are carried by the rear rail 12. The bars 35 3 extend upwardly, past arms 45, and are slidable within guide tubes d2. Above the tubes Lt2, the bars 35 are joined by a yoke 48 which extends between each transversely parallel pair of the rods 35. Each yoke 48 is engaged by a piston rod 49 of a pneumatic cylinder Sii, the cylinders 5t) being supported from the upper surfaces of their associated arms 45. Springs 51, which are attached to the outer end of each transverse arm 45, normally urge the yokes 48, and thus the rods 35, downwardly to bias the retaining feet 30 for movement toward the fabric which passes over the support plates 3S and 4t?. However, during feeding of the fabric, pressure is mounted in the cylinder 50 to raise the yoke 48 against the tension of the springs 51, thus raising the feet from contact with the fabric to permit free feeding travel of the fabric.

At the end of the feed of a predetermined length of fabric, as determined by the counter mechanism referred to above, rotation of the feed roll is terminated and pressure is released from the cylinder 5d to allow the springs 51 to lower the yoke, and therewith the rod 35, to cause the feet 30 to move downwardly to engage the fabric. As will be noted, the feet 30 engage a selvage edge of the fabric to allow alignment of a weft thread by an operator. The operator stands adjacent the buttons B on the opposite side of the machine and works manually to effect this alignment from the opposite edge of the fabric. Here the operator engages said opposite edge of the fabric, pulls it toward him to stretch it transversely and manipulates the stretched fabric forwardly or rearwardly as required to bring a weft thread into proper alignment with a cutting line, which is established by the cutting means. When the fabric is properly aligned with the cutting means, the operator, holding the fabric with both hands, urges his wrists against buttons B to actuate the machine first to clamp the aligned fabric along and closely adjacent to the front and rear sides of said cutting line and then to cut the fabric along said weft thread while it remains clamped in such alignment. Thus, accurate cutting of the fabric along a weft thread is assured.

After cutting of the fabric, as hereinafter described, it will be understood that pressure is again applied to the cylinder 5t) to raise the yokes 4S against the tension of the springs 51 and to permit the feet to rise, allowing for free feeding movement of the fabric.

For cutting the fabric F along the weft thread thereof, there is provided a longitudinally extending, vertically recessed blade bar and guide 56B which is mounted for controlled vertical motion between the fabric support plates 38 and di?, and hence between, and parallel to, the rails 32. The guide 6i) is provided with an upwardly open vertical slot 6I. The upper surfaces 62 of the guide 60, on either side of slot 6l, are normally disposed in a plane slightly below the plane of the support plates 38 and 49, the reasons for which will be explained later. The slot 61 of the guide 60 normally encloses therein an endless, fabric cutting band blade 64 which is trained about left and right hand pulleys 65 and 66 respectively. The left hand pulley 65 is adapted to be continuously rotated by a motor 67 through motor shaft 68 upon which this pulley is mounted. The opposite, right hand pulley 65 is mounted on a vertical shaft 69 which has bearings on the transverse bearing plate 7th, the bearing plate 70 being between the front end rails 11 and I2, and inwardly of the end rails 14. There is a companion, opposite plate 7l to support the motor 67 at the opposite end of the device.

The blade guide 60 is supported on longitudinally spaced, spring urged, vertical rods 74 which extend through Abrackets 75 of the front rail lll. Between the brackets 75, springs 76 encircle the rods 74 with the lower ends of the springs 76 resting on the lower brackets, a-nd the upper ends bearing against the underface of flanges 7S which are fixed to the rods 74. Thus, the rods 74, and therewith the guide et), are normally in raised position being fixed by the engagement of flanges 78 with the underface of the upper brackets 75. In

such elevated position the slot 61 fully encloses the front flight of the band Iblade 64 with its top surfaces 62 located slightly `below the plates 38 and dll.

In operation, the blade guide 60 is forced down by the engagement of elongated cloth holding strips S0. Each strip is formed of flexible material such as rubber or other material that will provide a `good frictional hold. Though many forms of strip will perform the desired function, the strips here shown `include a vertical body, or n, 8f seated and secured within the longitudinal slot '-82 in a holder flange 84 of the longitudinally extending holder beam 85. The beam 85 is disposed directly over the saw blade guide 69 with one flange on each side of the slot 61, and is normally spaced above and vertically aligned with the surfa-ce 62. The downwardly protruding portion of each strip 8) is formed with a downwardly facing, concave foot 86.

During the feeding of the cloth F, the beam 85 with strips is held in elevated position by the piston rods 90 of pneumatic cylinders 91, the cylinders 91 being supported `by a longitudinal subpiece 92 which is supported at its ends by uprights 94. Piston rods 90 are linked, as at 95, with transverse pivot arms 96. The rear ends of the arms 96 are carried by a pivot beam 97 having end trunnions which are freely rotatable in top bearing boxes 98 of vertical supports 99. The forward end of the pivot arm 96 is linked, as at 100, with the beam 85.

At the end of a feeding interval, when the forward feed of the .fabric is stopped, the clamps 3i) along the selvage edge of the fabric are lowered to clamp that edge at front and rear points spaced a substantial distance from the front and rear sides of the cutting line. With the selvage edge thus clamped and the opposi-te edge free, the operator, standing at the opposite edge of the fabric adjacent the buttons B, now engages the fabric, manipulates it as required to align a weft thread vertically with the cutting blade 64. Then, while holding the fabric in such alignment, the operator operates the -buttons B whereupon the pressure in cylinder 91 is rendered elfective to cause .the piston rod 90 to ylower the arms 96, moving them in clockwise rotation, to force the beam downward. Such downward movement causes the concave foot `86 of each strip 3d to engage the fabric. In such engagement of fabric between the feet of strips 80, the surfaces of the strips |will grip the fabric. As the beam I85 continues its downward movement, the beam forces the blade guide 60 downward against the tension of springs 75, thus exposing the blade 64. In such operation the fabric is moved downward with the downward movement of beam `85 and guide 6d while being held from movement `by the strips 80. Thus, the sheet of fabric is aligned, and quickly and accurately cut along a weft thread.

If the pattern of the material does not require that the `material be cut accurately along a weft thread, the machine can be run automatically rather than semi-auto matically as described above. For such automatic operation, the buttons B are not used; but, when the counter causes the feed of the material to stop, the cutting mechanism will be activated immediately, and the hold down feet will not -be used.

This will provide very fast cutting, and will be as accurate as the feed means; however, the cut may not be exactly along .a weft thread of the fabric.

In either operation, it will be seen that the device of the present invention provides quick and simple means to cut fabric at designated lengths. If the Operator must have his hands adjacent to the cutting blade during cutting, the arrangement requires that his hands be out of the way, since both hands will be gripping the fabric, and both wrists must be urged against the buttons B. Since the blade is normally contained within the guide 60, there 1s no `danger of a persons hand contacting the blade; and, during cutting, the blade is contained :between the guide 60 and the bar 84. Thus, the entire apparatus is quite safe regardless of the particular operation.

It will, of course, be Iunderstood that in the practice of the invention numerous changes, modifications and equivalents may be resorted to without departure from the spiritor scope of the invention as delined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improvement in a fabric cutting machine of the type which feeds an elongate strip of Woven fabric intermittently forward and, during non-feed intervals, clamps the fabric and then cuts it along a predetermined cutting line, comprising:

(A) first clamping means for holding one edge of the forwardly fed fabric, during a non-feed interval, at points spaced from the front and rear sides of the cutting line while leaving that portion of the fabric, extending along the cutting yline between said first clamping means and the opposite edge, free `so that an operator may manually engage the fabric along said opposite edge, and, through such engagement, manipulate the favbric to align a visible transverse member on the fabric with the cutting line; and

(B) manually controlled means operative, when actu- -ated Iby the operator while said fabric is in said alignment, to engage and hold the fabric in such alignment and cut the aligned fabric parallel to a visible transverse member on the fabric.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said first clamping means comprises (1) Ia pair of clamping members, and (2) means mounting said clamping members (a) in spaced relationship yalong the longitudinal path of said fabric ,with one member on each side of the transverse cut-line,

(b) for adjustment transversely across one side of said path, and (c) for movement into and out of operative clamping relationship'with said one edge of said fabric. 3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein: (A) said manually controlled means is of a type comprising (1) a pair of transverse clamps (a) which are actuataible by the operator,

and, (b) when actuated, are operative to move into clamping engagement with the cloth 'along opposite sides of the transverse cutline and to force the transversely-clamped fabric into engagement with a fabric cutl ting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,731,713 10/'1929 Denmire 83-271 X 2,527,739 10/1950 Knabllsch et al. 83-208 2,545,549 3/1951 Guill et yal -83-544 X 2,551,762 5/'1951 Pfeiffer 83-201 3,170,349 2/1965 Wenkle 83-175 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,118,573 11/1961 Germany. 1,182,045 11/ 1964 Germany.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVEMENT IN A FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE OF THE TYPE WHICH FEEDS AN ELONGATE STRIP OF WOVEN FABRIC INTERMITTENTLY FORWARD AND, DURING NON-FEED INTERVALS, CLAMPS THE FABRIC AND THEN CUTS IT ALONG A PREDETERMINED CUTTING LINE, COMPRISING: (A) FIRST CLAMPING MEANS FOR HOLDING ONE EDGE OF THE FORWARDLY FED FABRIC, DURING A NON-FEED INTERVAL, AT POINTS SPACED FROM THE FRONT AND REAR SIDES OF THE CUTTING LINE WHILE LEAVING THAT PORTION OF THE FABRIC, EXTENDING ALONG THE CUTTING LINE BETWEEN SAID FIRST CLAMPING MEANS AND THE OPPOSITE EDGE, FREE SO THAT AN OPERATOR MAY MANUALLY ENGAGE THE FABRIC ALONG SAID OPPOSITE EDGE, AND, THROUGH SUCH ENGAGEMENT, MANIPULATE THE FABRIC TO ALIGN A VISIBLE TRANSVERSE MEMBER ON THE FABRIC WITH THE CUTTING LINE; AND (B) MANUALLY CONTROLLED MEANS OPERATIVE, WHEN ACTUATED BY THE OPERATOR WHILE SAID FABRIC IS IN SAID ALIGNMENT, TO ENGAGE AND HOLD THE FABRIC IN SUCH ALIGNMENT AND CUT THE ALIGNED FABRIC PARALLEL TO A VISIBLE TRANSVERSE MEMBER ON THE FABRIC. 